US20080177146A1 - Double Vision Endotracheal Tube Installation System - Google Patents

Abstract

A double vision endotracheal tube installation system is disclosed, said system comprising: a laryngoscope, comprising a handgrip and a blade, wherein the blade comprises a first image-capturing unit for capturing a first image; a hollow endotracheal tube; a tracheoscope, comprising a second image-capturing unit for capturing a second image, said second image-capturing unit being wrapped in the endotracheal tube; and at least one display for displaying said first image and second image.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The present invention relates to an endotracheal tube installation system, more particularly to an endotracheal tube installation system capable of providing a dual view
• 2. Description of the Related Art
• Endotracheal intubation is a critical means for maintaining the breathing function of a patient under general anaesthesia. In most cases, to prevent the occurrence of hypoxia, the anaesthetist must complete the intubation by inserting an endotracheal tube into the patient's trachea in a very short period of time to provide oxygen thereinto promptly. Therefore, it is extremely important for anaesthetists to perform the intubation efficiently.
• Practically, to intubate quickly, most anaesthetists use a laryngoscope as a means to observe the condition of a patient's upper airway. Please refer toFIG. 1. Anearly laryngoscope10 mainly consists of ahandgrip20 and ablade30, wherein the blade may further comprise a first image-capturingunit40 for tracking the condition in the patient's upper airway. In use, the anaesthetists may have the patient lay face up and raise the patient's jaw first; after that, they may depress the tongue base with theblade30 by holding thehandgrip20 so as to raise the epiglottis cartilage. Then the image captured by the first image-capturingunit40 may be used to facilitate the intubation.
• However, the aforementioned approach fails to fully satisfy practical needs. Refer now toFIG. 2 for an illustrative diagram showing the application of a laryngoscope used in prior arts to perform intubation. First, it should be appreciated that, after anendotracheal tube70 has been delivered into the patient's upper airway, theendotracheal tube70 will inevitably obstruct the view of the first image-capturingunit40. Thus, neither the condition of the patient's upper airway nor the position of the trachea can be known by the anaesthetists, with the result that they can only rely on personal experience and skill during the intubation. In addition, since the anatomical structures of different patients vary significantly, an intubation system applying only one image pickup apparatus may fail to satisfy the needs of different cases. Accordingly, it is important to provide an endotracheal tube installation system capable of providing a better view.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• It is an objective of the present invention to provide an endotracheal tube installation system with an enhanced view.
• It is another objective of the present invention to provide an endotracheal tube installation system which has two image pickup apparatuses. Said endotracheal tube installation system is capable of transmitting images wirelessly so as to increase the precision and efficiency of the intubation.
• To attain these goals, this invention provides an endotracheal tube installation system, comprising: a laryngoscope, comprising a handgrip and a blade, wherein the blade comprises a first image-capturing unit for capturing a first image; a hollow endotracheal tube; a tracheoscope, comprising a second image-capturing unit for capturing a second image, said second image-capturing unit being wrapped in the endotracheal tube; and at least one display for displaying said first image and second image.
• By the use of the system of the present invention, users may use two individual image-capturing units to observe the condition of a patient's upper airway without encountering the problem of image obstruction. In use, users may observe the image captured by the first image-capturing unit and then deliver into the patient's mouth the endotracheal tube and the second image-capturing unit in the endotracheal tube. When the view of the first image-capturing unit is obstructed by the endotracheal tube, the second image-capturing unit may be adopted to provide images from deep in the airway to allow location of the position of the trachea. After the position of the trachea is determined, the endotracheal tube may be pushed forward into the trachea and the tracheoscope may be drawn out of the patient to complete the intubation.
• It should be noted that the transmission of the image captured by the two image-capturing units may be done by wireless means, for example, by the installation of an emitter and a receiver. Since the technology for the wireless image transmission is already known, further elaboration is omitted accordingly.
• Also, the display used in the invention may be two separate monitors displaying the first image and the second image individually; alternatively, the display may also be a single monitor displaying the first image and the second image simultaneously or by manual switch. Thereby, users may get a better understanding of the patient's upper airway and, more importantly, carry out the intubation with higher efficiency and precision.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings, which disclose several embodiments of the present invention. It is to be understood that the drawings are to be used for purposes of illustration only, and not as a definition of the invention.
• In the drawings, wherein similar reference numerals denote similar elements throughout the several views:
• FIG. 1 illustrates a laryngoscope used in prior arts.
• FIG. 2 is an illustrative diagram showing the application of a laryngoscope used in prior arts to perform intubation.
• FIG. 3A is an illustrative diagram showing the second image-capturing unit of the present invention encompassed by an endotracheal tube.
• FIG. 3B is an illustrative diagram showing the application of the endotracheal tube installation system of the present invention to perform intubation.
• FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the steps for applying the endotracheal tube installation system of the present invention.
• FIGS. 5A to 5D are illustrative diagrams showing the steps for applying the endotracheal tube installation system of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• To make this invention more understandable to examiners, several preferred embodiments are disclosed and described hereafter.
• Please refer toFIGS. 3A and 3B, whereinFIG. 3A is an illustrative diagram showing the second image-capturing unit of the present invention encompassed by an endotracheal tube, andFIG. 3B is an illustrative diagram showing the application of the endotracheal tube installation system of the present invention to perform intubation. The endotracheal tube installation system1 of the present invention mainly comprises alaryngoscope10, atracheoscope50, anendotracheal tube70, and at least onedisplay60. Thelaryngoscope10 comprises ahandgrip20, ablade30 connected to thehandgrip20, and a first image-capturingunit40 installed on theblade30 for capturing a first image. Theendotracheal tube70 is a hollow tube encompassing the second image-capturingunit51 of thetracheoscope50, which is used for capturing a second image. In addition, to enable the first and the second images to be transmitted wirelessly to thedisplay60, the endotracheal tube installation system1 may further compriseemitters80aand80binstalled on thelaryngoscope10 and thetracheoscope50, respectively.Emitters80aand80bare connected electrically to the first image-capturingunit40 and the second image-capturingunit51, respectively, for transmitting the first and the second images to thedisplay60 by wireless means.
• What should be noted is that thedisplay60 may be two individual monitors showing the first and the second images separately; alternatively, thedisplay60 may also be a single monitor displaying the first image and the second image simultaneously or by manual switch. Furthermore, even though it is shown that thedisplay60 is installed externally, as shown inFIG. 3B, thedisplay60 may also be installed on thelaryngoscope10 or thetracheoscope50 without interfering with the operability.
• Refer now toFIG. 4 for a flowchart showing the steps for applying the endotracheal tube installation system1 of the present invention. Meanwhile, refer toFIGS. 5A to 5D for illustrative diagrams showing the steps for applying the endotracheal tube installation system1 of the present invention.
• 201: A user presses thelaryngoscope10 against the patient's tongue base.
• As shown inFIG. 5A, to obtain a better view, a user may have a patient lay face up and raise the patient's jaw first; after that, the user may depress the tongue base with theblade30 by holding thehandgrip20 of thelaryngoscope10 so as to raise the epiglottis cartilage. During the process, the first image-capturingunit40 installed on theblade30 may capture the first image of the patient's upper airway.
• 202: The user delivers theendotracheal tube70 encompassing the second image-capturingunit51 into the patient's upper airway.
• As shown inFIG. 5B, from the use of the first image, the user may gain a general idea of the condition of the patient's upper airway. Thus, the user may then deliver theendotracheal tube70 together with the second image-capturingunit51 wrapped therein into the patient's upper airway. Under the guidance of the first image, the user may more precisely install theendotracheal tube70 and the second image-capturingunit51, and the randomness of unguided operation may be reduced. So far, theendotracheal tube70 has not obstructed the view of the first image-capturingunit40, so the user relies mainly on the first image.
• 203: The user begins to locate the trachea.
• As shown inFIG. 5C, the user continues delivering theendotracheal tube70 and the second image-capturingunit51 beyond the first image-capturingunit40, and, at the same time, theendotracheal tube70 may obstruct the view of the first image-capturingunit40. Accordingly, the user may turn to the second image, which is captured by the second image-capturingunit51. Under the guidance of the second image, the user may precisely locate the trachea.
• 204: The user pushes theendotracheal tube70 into the trachea.
• As shown inFIG. 5D, when the user delivers theendotracheal tube70 and the second image-capturingunit51 to the opening of the trachea, he/she may directly push theendotracheal tube70 into the trachea and gradually draw back the second image-capturingunit51; after removing thelaryngoscope10, the user may complete the intubation.
• It will be understood that many other modifications can be made to the various disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For these reasons, the above description should not be construed as limiting the invention, but should be interpreted as merely exemplary of preferred embodiments.

Claims (4)

1. An endotracheal tube installation system, comprising:

a laryngoscope, comprising a handgrip and a blade, wherein the blade comprises a first image-capturing unit for capturing a first image;

a hollow endotracheal tube;

a tracheoscope, comprising a second image-capturing unit for capturing a second image, said second image-capturing unit being wrapped in the endotracheal tube; and

at least one display for displaying said first image and second image.

2. The endotracheal tube installation system as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the first image and the second image are transmitted to the display wirelessly.

3. The endotracheal tube installation system as claimed inclaim 2, which has one display.

4. The endotracheal tube installation system as claimed inclaim 1, which has one display.

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